Mary Charleen Cutler

Mary Charleen Cutler, age 81, passed away peacefully, due to health complications, in the early morning hours on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2022 surrounded by her loving family.

Charleen was the sixth of ten children, the first girl after five rambunctious boys. She was born to Benjamin Lewis Cutler and Nellie Sharp Cutler on June 9, 1941 in Murray, Utah on a cold, snowy day, even though it was summer. She grew up on Sharp’s Lane, named after her Grandpa Sharp, who owned property up and down the street. Growing up, she was a tomboy and preferred to play softball, basketball, and football with her brothers. Her father put up two basketball hoops, providing the neighborhood basketball court where she would spend her summers with all the boys. She would occasionally play with her younger sister Barbara with their doll buggies, using the kittens on the farm as dolls. There was a childhood incident with a cat coming through the window in the middle of the night and landing on top of her while she was asleep. After that, she never played with the kittens again and could never bring herself to become a cat lover.

Some of her chores on the family farm were gathering eggs, helping her mother around the house, and occasionally bottle feeding a little lamb. She also babysat younger siblings and other neighborhood kids. Her family lived a bit out of town and as a result, there was no bus to school. She and her sisters would walk a mile to school each day, unless she could convince her brothers who had bicycles to give them a ride. In Junior High, she won the title of Junior Princess for helping raise the most money to build a new church building down the street.

Her childhood home was modest with only four rooms: a kitchen, living room and two bedrooms, for eleven people. Her family rarely shopped at the grocery store because they raised almost everything on their property and her father and brothers hunted.

Charleen was a diligent student and always earned good grades. She was popular and served as Vice President of the Senior Class. She attended Jordan High School and was in the Charlonian Club, a marching/dance group. She was academically accomplished and received several awards for storytelling, perfect attendance, typing, and debate. For part of her senior year, she was able to work in Salt Lake for a part of the school day, due to her typing and shorthand accomplishments. She also earned an ecclesiastical teacher training certificate and participated in the Young Women’s church program.

In 1959, she graduated high school and shortly after married Ralph Birney Hibler. They welcomed a daughter in 1960 named Mary Arlene. Years later, they divorced. Charleen worked throughout her life in Administrative Capacities at Kennecott, the Church Office Building, Brigham Young University, and Timpview High School. She was an accomplished professional, earning several awards including Employee of the Month.

Charleen raised her daughter in Midvale, and they later moved to Provo after Arlene attended college at BYU. They shared a very close mother-daughter relationship. When Arlene was young, Charleen would come home from work each night, make dinner (she was a great cook!) and they would play a board game called Pollyanna. She supported Arlene in her academics, as well as coming to her basketball, volleyball, and softball games. One of their favorite traditions was to go to the local drive in and get “root poops” (root beer) when Arlene was a child. As Arlene grew up, they enjoyed chocolate marshmallow malts together, which was still a favorite and her final requested treat before she passed.

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Charleen had a deep love of the Gospel and served as a Ward and Stake Young Women’s President, as well as a Stake Relief Society President amidst several other callings throughout her life. In her later years, she worked as an ordinance worker and shift coordinator at the Provo Temple and loved serving in the Lord’s house. She had a passion for family history work and spent hours in genealogical study. She also wrote at least six family history books to share her family’s legacy. She supported her granddaughter Brooke on her mission and wrote her letters faithfully twice each week.

Charleen celebrated or lamented about how the latest sporting game turned out, especially football and basketball, and was a huge BYU and Utah Jazz fan. She was a gifted seamstress and also crocheted, knitted, quilted, and took ceramics classes. As a child her mother taught her to play the piano and later, she learned to play the organ. She loved playing Solitaire, going on lunch dates, sitting on her patio to look at the mountains, and spending time with her loved ones.

Charleen was feisty, quick-witted, and always genuinely interested in her family. She was thrifty, frugal, hard-working, and determined to own her home, which she did. She is remembered for her deep love of walking her Pomeranian Tim Tam, funny old-fashioned sayings, desire to never miss a family event, and attending everything at least 30 minutes early without fail.

Charleen’s family was everything to her. She cherished her relationship with her mother. In her mother’s later years, Charleen would take her grocery shopping and do her hair weekly. Her daughter Arlene was the apple of her eye and her very best friend. Arlene married and had four daughters: Brittney Wakefield (Craig), Brooke Rios (Ryan), Bridgette Rivas (Noel) and Brielle Harper. Charleen was nicknamed Gub Gub by her granddaughter, Brooke, who couldn’t pronounce grandma and has been lovingly referred to by all ever since. She had beautiful, individual relationships with each grandchild and hosted sleepovers, took them to BYU sporting events, cooked Sunday dinners, planned family and holiday outings, and attended every milestone event for each grandchild.

In her later years, several granddaughters took turns being her roommate. Memories were made having lunch dates, hair salon appointments, and doing activities with her great-grandchildren. Brielle lived with her and provided companionship that has been such a comfort to her over the past couple of years.

In the past decade, her great-grandchildren: Alexia Wakefield (age 7), Jack Wakefield (age 5), Colter Wakefield (2 months), Sienna Rivas (age 2), and Myla Rivas (7 months) were a bright light in her life. She loved babysitting and playing with them. Attending their weekly gymnastics, dance and sports classes and performances was something she always looked forward to. She was adored by her little great grandbabies and they loved making her cards, giving her hugs, holding her hand, going to the park, swimming at the condo pool, napping on her bed, reading stories, and watching movies with her and singing “You Are My Sunshine” or “A Bushel and A Peck” together.

The titles of daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were her absolute favorite. Her greatest success in life was her talent for selflessly devoting herself to serving her family members with her financial resources, time, and talents. We are thankful that she is now reunited with treasured family in heaven and free from physical pain and suffering.

She is survived by her daughter, granddaughters, great-grandchildren, her sister Barbara Warner (Leroy), her brother Fred Cutler (Lynn), her sister-in-law Linda Cutler (Wayne), and her brother-in-law Leonard Sharp (Glenda). She is preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Clinton L. Cutler (Carma), Bob Cutler, Max Cutler, Benny Cutler (Pat), Glenda Sharp, Wayne Cutler, and Jim Cutler.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, December 2nd at the LDS Church Building for the Grandview 9th Ward (1555 North 1350 West, Provo, Utah). The viewing will be from 9:30-10:45 a.m., followed by services starting at 11:00 a.m. Graveside services to follow at the Provo City Cemetery, (610 South State Street, Provo, Utah). Memories or condolences may be shared at www.bergmortuary.com.

Those who cannot attend in person are invited to view the services LIVE via Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/93145056010.